West Texas Centers evaluates cuts to public mental health system

Ruth CampbellMidland Reporter-Telegram

Published 12:07 pm, Friday, July 23, 2010

A proposed 10 percent reduction to the state's mental health budget could lead to West Texas Centers for MHMR seeing fewer clients and cause those who need hospitalization to be turned away, officials said.

The state is facing anywhere from an $11 billion- $18 billion shortfall. In May, Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus sent a letter directing every state agency follow certain instructions for submitting legislative appropriation requests for upcoming biennium.

State departments across the board were asked to reduce baseline requests by an additional 10 percent for 2012-13. "Agencies are looking internally at places they could reduce spending. It doesn't necessarily mean they will all be cut, but it's a step in the right direction given the times we're in, the need to prioritize government spending and be good stewards of Texas taxpayer dollars," said Katherine Cesinger, spokeswoman for Perry.

West Texas Centers has more than 350 employees providing counseling, therapy, medication and medical care for more than 2,000 people monthly. It has 15 mental health centers in its service area.

West Texas Centers' $18 million budget includes $8.5 million for mental health services. That $8.5 million is spread over the 15 mental health centers, Chief Executive Officer Shelley Smith said.

"We believe we will have to reduce our caseload by more than 180 people to meet the cuts directed by the governor," Smith said in a news release. "With the suggested reduction of about $600,000 to our budget, we will be forced to see 150 fewer adults and 30 fewer children each month. And we already have 90 people on waiting lists. The impact is devastating"

Proposals for budget cuts must be submitted by the start of the next legislative session in January.

One of those departments facing a 10 percent cut is the Department of State Health Services, which funds West Texas Centers for MHMR and Big Spring State Hospital.

West Texas Centers provides mental health care in the community, referring individuals with intensive needs to the state hospital for inpatient treatment. Any reduction in funding to the state hospital system would cripple West Texas Center's ability to refer patients who need treatment, a news release said.

"It's a difficult task to find state hospital and private hospital beds when needed," Smith said. "Big Spring State Hospital, which is our regional hospital, has been on constant diversion causing law enforcement from our 23 counties to drive longer distances in hopes of finding a bed at another hospital. We all recognize that the current bed allocation is woefully inadequate.

"The 10 percent reduction for the state hospital system will result in the loss of approximately 200 beds throughout Texas. This would be devastating for our entire state and would further accelerate the deterioration of the public mental health system."

The Department of State Health Services proposed reductions totaling $90 million to mental health services, $4 million to substance addition services; and $44 million to the state hospital system totaling $138 million to proposed cuts to the public mental health system in Texas.

The Texas Council of MHMR Centers believes more than 20,000 Texans will lose access to mental health care if legislators adopt the health department recommendations.

Smith said the potential reductions are not a complete surprise. She does not know if any layoffs or job cuts will result from the proposed cuts.

"That's the reason we're evaluating this is because it's cuts to general revenue. We're looking at what our portion of that would be. This would be for the Legislature to consider when they go into session next January," Smith said, adding whatever cuts are made would take effect in September 2011. "We're just looking at the potential."

Smith has been pouring over budget projections and corresponding with the 23 county judges she works with to prepare them for the impact it will have on their communities and arm them with information they need to share with their elected officials and constituents, the release said.

Texas is the fastest growing state in the nation with a population that faces many of the same problems other states face but at a faster clip, Smith said. Texas already is ranked 49th in funding for mental health in the nation.

"It is just discouraging to take a step backward when the mental health community is introducing innovative programs to help people living with mental illness," Smith said. "The legislature made huge investments the past two sessions and reducing funding at this time is not in the state's best interest."